Choose Your Approach to Fishing Bluefin Tuna

We can admit it. We're a bit spoiled for choices when it comes to fishing for bluefin tuna.

Bluefin are the charismatic tuna species in our waters. They're the biggest tuna we see, ranging from 30-lb juveniles all the way up to 800-lb giants. In our region they arrive in June and stay around until November.

There are generally three different ways to catch tuna from Cape Cod: live bait, trolling, or casting.

And there are three main areas to go for bluefin: east of Chatham, up on Stellwagen Bank and around Provincetown, and south of Martha's Vineyard.

Bluefin are a strictly managed species and tightly regulated.

"With the U.S. bluefin tuna fishery, I would say it is a sustainable fishery," Kevin Blinkoff, of On the Water magazine, said. In addition to pointing out how tightly managed are the stocks, and how closely regulated the fisheries, both recreational and commercial, Blinkoff also noted a recent study about catch-and-release survival rates for bluefin tuna. "That found that even using light spinning gear, there are pretty good survival rates. Most bluefin that are caught and released quickly will swim and live on to fight another day."

You can hear our conversation about the different approaches, and the difference locations, for bluefin fishing, in the Fishing News below. We also round up the local fishing action. That's all in just 4 minutes. Give it a listen.

The five-gallon bucket is a staple for most fishermen. It can haul tackle, bait, and your catch. For most anglers, it's a repurposed item, castoff from a jobsite. Actually purchasing a bucket from a hardware store for a few dollars? What luxury, what self-indulgence.

A couple of companies now want to change these age-old rules. They're introducing a new category to fishing accessories: the premium five-gallon bucket.

This is good news for people who don't fish, or fisherman not having a lucky day, in that locally caught striped bass should be available at fish markets, and you should be able to find it on the menu at restaurants.

Buzzards Bay and the south-facing side of the Cape from Woods Hole to Chatham mark the northenmost range of the blue crab. But just because we're at the edge of the range, doesn't mean we don't have these critters in abundance. They're there for the catching, and they're great eating.